DC Public Health Lab to have 400 Zika samples retested

The District of Columbia Department of Forensic Sciences Public Health Laboratory (DC-PHL) has been providing Zika virus testing for patients seen by DC health care providers since January 2016.

Image/CDC

On Dec. 14, 2016, out of an abundance of caution, DC-PHL decided to take the Zika MAC-ELISA test offline after discovering some technical issues. After an extensive review, DC-PHL made the decision to retest all Zika serology specimens that were conducted at the DC PHL.

Only serum specimens collected between July 14 to December 14, 2016 are affected since any testing done prior were conducted directly by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

409 specimens have been sent for retesting. 294 pregnant women samples were sent to CDC. The remaining 115 non-pregnant women and males were sent to other public health labs that are approved by the CDC.

The technical issues discovered by DC-PHL does not constitute any cause for alarm from the general public, and will not affect the District of Columbia Department of Health’s (DOH) management of probable or confirmed cases of Zika Virus Disease and infection.

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